AWARDS AND REWARDS OF A TEACHER

Getting Started

Awards are the decisions of judges while rewards are gifts for something received.  It is often said that the public school teacher is seldom given adequate pay for his work.  Teaching industrial arts in the Olathe, Kansas high school for forty years has given me many returns.

I am often asked, "Marshall, why did you start teaching and why have you taught so long in one place?".  That is a long story starting the first of September, 1918, when I drove the family Model T with my sister, Loretta, from the farm to Olathe, for her to enroll in high school.  Superintendent Hill surprised me by asking, "Would you like to be our manual training teacher?".  He proceeded to convince me that I could do the job although I did not have a degree.  World War I had all the men of his faculty but he would be satisfied with me for a couple of months for I was in the last draft.

"You were best in your class, in fact you were the best in the nation", continued Mr. Hill.  He was referring to my large kitchen cabinet having been judged the best piece or high school woodwork in United States in 1915.  The next, or my junior year, I was a paid assistant to the manual training teacher.  Mr. Hill did not remark about the wireless experiments in my senior year which became my greatest asset.  He spoke about my graduation from Sweeny Automotive and Electrical school.  The next Monday I was the manual training teacher where I am today teaching industrial arts, the development of manual training.

Radio in the Twenties

There was plenty of excitement during my first year, such as the armistice of November 11, 1918, and the flu epidemic.  I soon found in teaching that "practice was better than precept".  The boys could learn from my demonstrations.  My next door neighbor, Robert Sims, was one of those boys; today, he works with a lumber company, is treasurer of the Board of Education, and sends his sons to my classes.

In a few years, radio broadcasting opened a new unit in our course.  I secured a radio amateur license WØBSP; then put a transmitting station in our school.  Several of the boys secured licenses; one was Leon Harris WØOBC, now head foreman for all electronic work on Trans-World Airlines planes.  I built and rebuilt the home station many times because of having to furnish all electrical power at first.  Later I secured the high line power to drive a one-kilowatt phone which would, on low frequencies, cover the United States.

Teacher's Pay

My salary was low because I did not have a college degree, but my receipts were high because I could do more with what I had than anyone else around school.  Several of the pieces I made of wood are, a living room set, record player, radio cabinets and a grandfather clock.  We expanded the school shop so that general work could be done in metal, radio construction, drawing and woodwork.  I made several trips to see those who I had often talked with over the air.  The greatest one of all was our honeymoon.  Ina and I traveled over 9000 miles in all western states.  Ten years later Bill Moore, Duane Lintecum, and Alan Hardy accompanied me on a similar tour west.  We met "Curly" Kloeffer, operator of W7HHW at Grand Coulee dam.  He was just as pleasant to meet as he was when I talked to him from home, nearly two thousand miles away.  All of these educational experiences came from my ability to make the most from what I had.  in the face of many difficulties.

College

I teak leave from teaching for a year to secure a college degree.  My year was different from the first year of college for most students.  I enrolled as a senior instead of a freshman because I had so many special credits.  Furniture making, woodturning, wood finishing and welding were denied me because, as my advisor, Dr. Hankammer said, "You can teach us these subjects".  I was given astronomy, business and psychology; but by the end of the year, I had the third highest number of grade points in that large college which resulted in being voted into the Phi Sigma Pi, and the Kappa Delta Pi.  The department head at first objected to my proposed thesis problem: "Teaching Radio by Radio".  He could not conceive that I had been successfully teaching nightly for eight years with little preparation.  Dr. Hankammer, a radio operator; in the Argonne of World War I, assured him that it was possible.  My result was an eighty thousand word study giving procedures and techniques for teaching over the air.  Calls for a copy came from The American Radio Relay League, the army and the navy.  Just twenty years from my first enrollment I had two college degrees.

The Paley Award

I started in the winter of 1929 to send nightly a series of seventy lessons in learning the code and radio fundamentals therefore answering the request of the American Radio Relay League for volunteers.  My sister, Loretta, a licensed amateur, WØUA substituted for me on certain nights.  The radio code lessens became so popular that thousands became radio amateurs.

The American Radio Relay League nominated me in 1941 for the William S. Paley Award given to the individual who, through amateur radio, in the opinion of an impartial board of awards, has contributed most usefully to the American people, either in research, technical development, or operating achievement.  My work was not as spectacular as rescue work in flood or hurricane for which the former three had received the Paley Award, but the second recipient, Robert Anderson, was one of my radio students.

The appearance of a photographer and a reporter on May 7th, told me of the winning of the award, and that my sister would accompany me on the award trip.  A trip to Kansas City was next to visit KMBC facilities before going to see TWA planes and hangers.  CBS had made reservations on the finest TWA plane for our trip to New York, where the presentation was to be made.  A school faculty picnic honored my award by presenting me with a desk set.  The many who have contributed to my success through the years expressed their pleasure at the testimonial dinner given by the Olathe Chamber of Commerce which was broadcast over KMBC.

We arrived in New York the evening before the award luncheon, which was to be served in the Basildon room of the Waldorf-Astoria hotel, where we were given a suite or rooms for the week.  Mr. Paley, president of CBS gave nearly an unlimited amount so that we would have the best entertainment.  Our escorts were the three former recipients or the Paley award; Robert Anderson and Walter Stiles, who were employed by CBS since their award, and Wilson Burgess.

The first morning we visited several studios and prepared for the award luncheon which was to be broadcast over the entire CBS radio network in place of Fletcher Wiley's Campbell soup program.  About one hundred guests of the News and screen assembled in the Jade room before the luncheon.  Photographic enlargements of our home with its two radio towers and radio studio were on the wall with many "complimentary letters, and telegrams from our many friends, including Dr. Hankammer, Board of Education of Olathe, Governor of Kansas, Payne Ratner, and United States Senator for Kansas, Arthur Capper.  The award trophy, a stainless steel sculpture about three feet high sat on a stainless steel table.  The base of the trophy is a conical, jagged line, representing an electric flash and supporting a small sphere representing the world with many radio towers and their network.  The figure, an impressionistic one, was made by Alexander Ca1der.  The trophy remains in permanent custody or the American Radio Relay League.  My name was the fourth and last to be inscribed on the trophy.

It was difficult to realize the splendid luncheon was being given in my honor.  I was in the center of the raised head table with my sister, an admiral on either side, CBS high officials and former, recipients of the award.  Tribute ever the air to my service was paid by Admiral Waesche, Commandant of the United States Coast Guard, and Admiral Hooper of the Technical Division of the Chief of Naval Operations.  George W. Bailey, President of the American Radio Relay League said, "It is an extra source of satisfaction at this time, when the nation as a whole is bending every effort to build a strong national defense, to know that the award for 1940 is going to a man who has been helping in his own way, to build up that defense for more than ten years".  Mr. Paul Keston, Columbia Vice-President, presented me with a half-size replica of the Paley trophy and a parchment scroll commemorating the award thus ending the formalities of the award.

The photographers and reporters from the Daily Mirror, The American, and New York Sun inquired about our achievement.  Soon pictures and stories of the award were printed in nearly all papers and magazines of the nation.  The Starlight Roof Garden of the Waldorf and any of the Broadway shows were ours to enjoy.  We were taken to Long Island, then by boat to Columbia island to see the new transmitting station of WABC and then to Grand Central station to see the first television pictures.  We made a trip to West Hartford, Connecticut, the headquarters of the American Radio Relay League, where they entertained us royally.  After returning to New York, we visited with Mr. Paley, who had just returned home from Washington, where he had been called on government business.  That concluded our luxurious week at the Waldorf.  We were given our desire; to go home by train through Baltimore, Maryland.  Representatives of WCAO featured us on their programs.  We had a chance to visit with relatives for a week which made an appropriate ending for the award trip.

Navy

In making preparations for a great school of the air the following winter I fell while putting up an antenna which caused several severe fractures.  In about three months I was strong enough that the Navy accepted me.  I volunteered to give radio instruction but~ they made me an officer with two stripes.  After attending communication school, I was sent to the most secret unit of the time: high frequency direction finding.  There, I met many who had followed my radio of the air instruction.  After our direction finders had broken up the "Wolf Packs" of German "subs" I was made electronic officer for the Naval Air Station, Seattle, Washington, where I remained to the close of the war when the Navy released me as a lieutenant commander.

All men while in the service looked forward to the end of the war when they could have a home of their own.  Upon returning home I organized a good farm shop so that I can repair or build almost anything.  While modernizing our house I received word of having won a Jewell water system in the Federal Housing Administration's Kansas water system essay contest.  The water system nicely fitted into the program and is still pumping water.  I bought a bulldozer to use in conserving the land, building ponds, and removal of mature or dying trees.  I often help my neighbors with similar work.  Most at the trees removed were ash, walnut or Osage orange which I ripped on a small saw I had constructed.  This native lumber is far superior to that which can be purchased besides being cheaper and personal.  Using it exclusively at school has helped in producing winning contest projects.

Industrial Arts Awards

I exerted a greater effort to develop superior projects at school, after the war, because the volunteer code practice work was not badly needed, since the American Radio Relay League was sending code lessons on five channels simultaneously.  I also studied and secured an amateur extra class license and the highest of commercial licenses.

My students won high awards in national competition on turned bowls and boxes.  An article on wood turning and plans for many general shop projects which I developed were published in the later editions of the Industrial Arts and Vocational Education magazine.  Since 1955, our best winning project has been a colonial spinning wheel lamp.  Twice, my students received an outstanding achievement award, which included a five-day all expense paid trip to Detroit, for the student and his instructor.

This year two students had their projects sent to Washington where one, a platform rocker, was selected by the National Industrial Arts Association, to be presented to President and Mrs. John F. Kennedy.  Tom Brown was given the honor of making the presentation of his chair on the first of September.  President Kennedy has been using the rocking chair several times as seen on television.  A simpler designed chair was recently published in the School Shop magazine from a plan which I submitted.  Now, two presidents have noted my teaching.

Former Students

I have no means or telling which of my students has accomplished the most.  Many look back on the time they spent with me with pleasure.  Seldom do high school students show much appreciation while they are in school but the dedication or the 1941 and 1961 annuals to me are exceptions.

Locally, there has been from one to four members at a time, on the board or education, who were in my classes.  "My boys", as I call them are scattered all over town in every business or profession; Dr. Chester Moore, a radio amateur and his brother, Bill Moore, an insurance man.  There are some girls too, because I was one or the first in the state to have classes for girls.  Chirping little DaOnne in one of those classes is now the lovely Mrs. Huston, the school's secretary.  Better known former students include Buddy Rogers and the present governor of Kansas, John Anderson.

Conclusion

Teaching may not give great cash receipts but I believe you will agree that I have received considerable more rewards directly or indirectly from teaching at home than I could have received by drifting from place to place.  By industriously using my time I have created a home of beauty, security and independence; the desire of many.  The pride and satisfaction that one receives from successfully doing a job, no matter how small, often means more than wastefully spending riches.  These experiences can never be reproduced but results similar may be achieved by those who are diligent and persistent.